indecision

noun

ˌin-di-ˈsi-zhən How to pronounce indecision (audio)
Definition of indecisionnext
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction about the right course of action her indecision about where to go for dinner, while everyone was getting hungrier by the minute, was frustrating

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indecision And Anne Hathaway, in a bravura performance, situates Penelope on an emotional precipice, caught between indecision and indignation, between yearning for her husband and a palpable disgust with the alternatives. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 Confirm who is actually attending and don’t let someone else’s indecision ruin your evening. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 Andy Burnham, Britain’s soon-to-be prime minister, wants an array of bold new policies to attract voters who have grown tired of a Labour government mired in indecision and political backbiting. — Philip Aldrick, Fortune, 28 June 2026 At first, the Jell-O was also a way to express vulnerability, indecision and hesitation. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for indecision
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indecision
  1. hesitation
  2. hesitancy
  3. hesitance
  4. pause
Noun
  • Founders will notice hesitation, enthusiasm, chemistry, confidence, uncertainty, who’s influencing the room, whether the customer is actually excited.
    — Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • His flowering is optimal for someone who hosts a show called The Reluctant Traveler, and Levy and director David Brindley both agree that the comedian’s hesitations have waned — at least a little.
    — Matthew Jacobs, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitation
Noun
  • Two committee Republicans voiced hesitancy on Blanche Two committee Republicans placed conditions on supporting Blanche's pathway to a full Senate vote.
    — Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
  • During the panel, Flanagan shared that there were initial hesitancies about creating the series.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
Definition of hesitancy
Noun
  • Dexter grapples with killing her, but Rudy eventually can’t handle Dexter’s hesitance and takes the knife into his own hands—and nearly plunges it into Debra’s chest before Dexter stops him.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
  • That hesitance in the Republican Party coexists with palpable relief that there’s a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after months of strikes on Iran.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
Definition of hesitance
Noun
  • This is lunch à la Provençale; expect a multi-course meal with pauses between courses (no, the service isn't slow).
    — Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, the governor has issued a variety of directives on data centers since June, including a pause on data center development and lawmakers in Texas are reacting.
    — Jack Fink, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of pause

Browse Nearby Words

indecipherable
indecision
indecisive
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Indecision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indecision. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on indecision

Nglish: Translation of indecision for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All